


we'll get through this

by voidtenya



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Keith (Voltron) Angst, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Keith/Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron)-centric, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-08-02 20:00:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16311764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voidtenya/pseuds/voidtenya
Summary: Lance will do anything to save Keith. Even if it means putting himself in danger.-Lance was frozen in his spot. There was Keith, unconscious, slumped in one of the general's arms. Lance didn't bother thinking about their names. All he could think was how utterly wrong it looked, seeing Keith so defenseless, so blissfully unaware to what was going on around him. Lance would have almost laughed if the situation hadn't been so completely fucked. He was fucked. He couldn't go up against one of them, let alone four and Prince Lotor himself. Who, Lance noticed with a scowl, seemed insanely pleased with the sudden turn of events."Not so brave now, are we, red paladin?"





	we'll get through this

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance is stuck in an unfortunate situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally fixed a bunch of errors and generally made the flow better. enjoy :)

Lance was frozen in his spot. There was Keith, unconscious, slumped in one of the general's arms. Lance didn't bother thinking about their names. All he could think was how utterly _wrong_ it looked, seeing Keith, his leader, his _friend_ so defenseless, so blissfully unaware to what was going on around him. Lance would have almost laughed if the situation hadn't been so completely _fucked_. He was fucked. He couldn't go up against one of them, let alone four _and_ Prince Lotor himself. Who, Lance noticed with a scowl, seemed incredibly delighted with the abrupt turn of events.

"Not so brave now, are we, red paladin?"

His voice was smooth, had the sound of one of those jazz performers from Earth, tinged with the familiar, almost Altean, accent. The prince hadn't been what he had expected, because he looked positively Altean, which still confused Lance to no end. The silver hair, the pointy ears so unlike his own. Yet he held himself in the way of a Galra, his whole demeanor almost _screaming_ "victory or death". But Allura and Coran assured him, no, that was impossible, all the other Alteans were dead and the probability of Lotor being a half breed was very slim, according to them. But seeing the prince now, being reminded of the unmistakably very Altean features he possessed, Lance highly doubted their assurances.  
But he wasn't focused on that at that moment, in fact, those thoughts barely were acknowledged in his mind, because all he could focus on was _Keith, Keith, Keith_.

"Don't you dare hurt him," Lance growled at Lotor, glaring daggers at the grinning prince.

"Your threats mean nothing to me, red paladin," Lotor said, corners of his mouth curled up into a slight smirk.

"Let him go," Lance said, choosing to ignore him, instead shooting a worried look at Keith, who looked utterly oblivious to what was happening around him. Lance scanned Keith for any injuries, but he looked unscathed other than a bruise on his head from when Lotor, to his horror, had slammed it against the ground to knock Keith out.

He mentally replayed everything leading up to this. It was supposed to be a simple mission, that's why there was only two of them, just a quick diplomatic mission to some planet Allura and Coran were sure was occupied with former Altean allies. But when they had gotten there, Lotor and his generals were waiting for them, the planet otherwise unoccupied. Lance had barely gotten to wonder how they had known before they were deposited into battle, Keith and Lance fighting side by side. Lance remembered thinking, _if I'm gonna die, this is how I want it to be_. He honestly couldn't see how anything could get worse, which he was grateful for. Until Murphy's law came and kicked him in the ass.  
_"Come out, come out wherever you are, paladins!" Lotor practically sang, voice light and cheerful. Lance's grip on his gun had tightened, and Keith's eyes flicked to him, with an expression Lance could only read as don't go anywhere. Lance nodded, as Keith tentatively stepped forward to try and find the source of the voice, Lance staying back, his blaster turning into his familiar long-range rifle as he trailed after Keith with his eyes._

And then this had happened. His chest ached. He was so stupid, so stupid to have let this happen. Admittedly, he knows it's not his fault, but the insecurities creeping up his throat send a note of doubt. He was a worthless right-hand for not protecting his leader. For not protecting _Keith_. The thought crept up into his skull and planted a seed, among countless others of self-doubt. The guilt was heavy enough in Lance's chest it physically ached.

__

__

"Please let him go, I'll... I'll do anything you want, just please don't hurt him," He begged, holding his hands up, gun still tightly grasped in one so hard his fingers were turning white. 

"Anything?" Lotor asked, the corners of his lips turning up. "What an interesting turn," Lotor crowed. Lance nodded, body trembling, but managed a brave face. "Alright, red paladin," Lotor mused, a smirk twinging at his lips. "I'll play your game." Lance breathed a sigh of relief as the strong general dropped Keith with a scowl. _Keith_. He resisted the urge to run over to him, instead turning his eyes to Lotor, who wore a satisfactory smirk. 

"I'm sure the druids would have loved to experiment with a half breed, but you will do quite nicely in their collection in his place." Lance froze, eyes widened. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "The Champion was a human, and he was their prized experiment." He muttered. His gaze drifted from Keith to Lance hungrily. 

Lance's chest tightened at the mention of Shiro like that, like he was a possession. "Don't talk about him like that." Lance snapped. Lotor laughed, a cruel, twisted sound, "So the Champion is a sore subject? I have to admit, my father was right getting rid of him if your team has fallen apart to the point _you_ are the most suitable right hand."

"Fuck off," Lance snarled, anger present on his face. He took a step forward, fists clenched so tight they _hurt_ , and the grin wiped off Lotor's face, replaced with a cruel scowl as Lance felt something cold press against the nape of his neck. He barely registered it as a gun. His mind was flashing with warning signals, begging him to stand down, but he just raised his chin and stared insubordinately at the prince. "Defiance? When your friend is at an arm's reach to me?" he said, gesturing to Keith. Lance's open mouth, ready with an insult that had died in his throat, snapped closed. _Not worth the risk,_ he reprimanded himself.

So he turned his gaze back down to the ground, only lifting his eyes when Lotor spoke again, not at him, but at the general behind Lance to stand down. "I prefer the following to be from Lance's free will. Watch and learn, Ezor," he noted, grinning. He spun back to Lance. "Drop your gun and step away, red paladin." The grip on his gun loosened a little, and he squeezed his eyes shut. _What the fuck do I do?_

Mentally berating himself, he set the gun down and took a step back, watching the smirk creep onto Lotor's face. He wasn't cut out for this, for any of this. Not being a paladin, and certainly not making the right choice under this kind of pressure. He briefly wondered what Keith would do if he wasn't awake. He felt his arms tugged behind him and his wrists locked together. He wasn't surprised, but it felt vaguely reminiscent to a scenario when Sendak had Shiro and him in the castle. Only reversed. He thought about how Shiro had taken it. If he had thought it through, if he had a plan, because Lance sure as hell didn't. 

Lance took a tentative step forward just to be yanked back by the general holding him. He cursed under his breath as Lotor strode forward, glided to the ground and picked up his gun. It transformed back into the bayard, and Lotor studied it briefly, before handing it to a general. Lance narrowed his eyes at Lotor. He looked beyond pleased with the turnout of the situation.

And he was. Two paladins, one being the leader and his ever so imposing right-hand. He stepped forward to the paladin. "Lance," he tested the word on his lips out loud, and the paladin's head shot up, then noticed his expression and his head drooped back down, Ezor still holding him by the arm tightly, shoving him forward a bit. Lotor stepped up to Lance, and the paladin's eyes darted up, expression shaken as his breaths faltered. He slapped him straight across the face, and Lance yelped.

"Scared, red paladin?" Lance's eye twitched at that. "You don't scare me," He spat, normally joking demeanor crumbling under the pressure. This... this was too much for him. He couldn't do this. Lotor grinned, then turned back to face Zethrid, who was holding the black paladin. "Let's go. We have tasks to complete." And with that, the black and red paladins were dragged off.

**Author's Note:**

> hope you liked it!! i worked pretty hard on it and i'll hopefully have the next part out really soon, hopefully in the next week or so!


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